Analyzing the 2014 Draft - Mid-season report

For the past five years, Inside Lacrosse has named a midseason All-America First and Second Team. Nearly half of the players named to the two squads this year were MLL draftees, and 13 of the 14 seniors listed were drafted back in January. So, we decided to take IL’s list one step further and check out what MLL team came away with the best draft according to their All-Americans.

It was inevitable that the Hounds would make this list, seeing as they had seven picks in the first three rounds, including four selections in the second round alone. While all of their picks have played exceedingly well, these three have certainly stood out from the rest.

Midfielder Mike Chanenchuk was a First Team selection and it’s not hard to see why. The 11th overall pick leads a top-5 Maryland team in goals (22), assists (9) and points (31). He would make a great addition to the Hounds midfield should he join them, seeing as the team lost 23-goal scorer Peet Poillon this offseason.

Fellow Terp Michael Ehrhardt also made the First Team, doing so as a long stick midfielder. The Hounds top pick has 32 ground balls and 18 caused turnovers on the year. Also finding a way onto the Second Team is Loyola’s Justin Ward. The 23rd pick has been a passing machine, already registering 30 assists in just nine games, giving him the second highest assist per game ratio in the country.

Rochester Rattlers – Three Selections

The Rattlers also had an outstanding January 10, picking up nine potential players on draft day. To make head coach Tim Soudan look even better, all three of the midseason All-America selections were acquired via trade.

First, Rochester traded up to the second spot and selected Duke attackman Jordan Wolf. The Blue Devil has been a scoring machine, with 31 goals and 16 assists in just 10 games. His 47 points are second in the nation, trailing only Lyle Thompson, who is draft eligible in 2015 and could very well be selected by the Rattlers to join Miles and Ty, should they choose to join the team.

Second, both John LoCascio and Mark Cockerton made the midseason Second Team, with LoCascio at LSM and Cockerton at attack. LoCascio’s been doing his normal work at Villanova, causing 21 turnovers and notching 43 ground balls. Meanwhile, Cockerton has been the finisher for Virginia, with 32 goals on the year, making him second in the nation. Both Cockerton and Wolf would greatly help a Rochester offense that scored just 152 goals last year and lost leading scorer Ned Crotty.

Ohio Machine – Two Selections

Well, one of these names was obvious, but the other has been a real pleasant surprise. First overall pick Tom Schreiber was a no-brainer for the midseason First Team, but Notre Dame’s Stephen O’Hara also earned himself a spot on the top squad.

Schreiber has been as good as advertised, notching nearly five points per game (18 G, 15 A) in the Princeton midfield. Schreiber has a rocket for a shot, can dish the ball with the best of them and has proven to be a leader on and off the field. If there’s anyone that Ohio could use in the 2014 season, it’s Tom Schreiber.

On the back end, O’Hara isn’t the type of guy you’d notice if you look at the box scores, but his physical presence is always felt and he’s been a big part of Notre Dame’s solid start to the season. We named O’Hara late rounder of the week on March 20 for his four GB, three CT performance against Virginia. The 41st overall selection has certainly shown he can be an asset for Ohio.

Florida Launch – Two Selections

The upstart Launch had a really nice draft two months ago, picking up the likes of goaltender Niko Amato, who’s been an absolute vacuum for Maryland. However, their two picks are similar to Ohio: a first round offensive player and a fifth round defender.

As the first-ever selection by the Launch and fifth overall in 2014, Kieran McArdle makes the First Team with relative ease. Much like Schreiber, McArdle can do it all for St. John’s, scoring 25 goals with 20 assists. After losing Joe Walters to a trade, McArdle could prove to be a big addition should he join the Launch.

Meanwhile, Bobby Lawrence has been fantastic for Colgate, earning himself a spot on the midseason Second Team. The Raiders have one of the best scoring defenses in the nation, allowing the fourth-fewest goals per game (7.11) thanks in large part to Lawrence. His 24 ground balls and 17 turnovers prove he would fit right in with a young defense that lost Brodie Merrill to Boston.

The Rest

Boston, Denver and New York each had one player named to the midseason All-America teams, with New York draftee Joe Fletcher being the only first teamer. The third overall pick is a huge reason why his team is No. 1 in the nation, as Loyola has allowed just 66 goals to the 127 they score (a +61 scoring differential).

Boston’s top pick Scott McWilliams made the Second Team as a defender and Denver’s 62nd overall pick Ben McIntosh made the Second Team out of Drexel. The only team without a midseason All-American was the Chesapeake Bayhawks, but not having a selection in the first two rounds undoubtedly has something to do with that. Many of these teams would love to see their guys be named an official All-American by the USILA, but they hope the players join their rosters in May even more.